Modesto Municipal Code section 10-4.406 caps walls and fences at 8 feet in height citywide. Within the front yard and street-side yard, the maximum drops to 42 inches.
Modesto Municipal Code (MMC) Title 10 (Zoning Regulations), Chapter 4, Article 4, Section 10-4.406(b)(1) provides that 'No wall or fence shall exceed eight (8) feet in height,' unless additional height is required as a condition of a zone, variance, use permit, development plan review, parcel map, subdivision map, noise mitigation, or other similar action. Subsection (b)(2) further restricts heights in street-facing areas: 'No wall or fence shall exceed forty-two (42) inches within the front and front street side yard areas.' In the R-1 single-family zone, fences taller than 42 inches that face a side street must be set back at least 10 feet from the street-side property line. Heights are measured from the finished adjacent grade.
Fences that exceed the 8-foot citywide maximum or the 42-inch front/street-side maximum are zoning violations enforced by Code Enforcement under MMC Title 10. The City typically issues a notice of violation requiring the owner to lower or remove the non-compliant fence; continued non-compliance can result in administrative citations, civil penalties, and abatement.
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